Defense says woman didn't know she was facing charge when she left state

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Updated: 12:14 PM EST Jan 13, 2017

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WEBVTT IF FLATTERY IS CONVICTED OFSELLING THE FATAL DOSE, HERPUNISHMENT COULD BE LIFE INPRISON.TWO DAYS AFTER SHE WAS BROUGHTBACK FROM NEVADA, HEATHERFLATTERY APPEARED BEFORE ASUPERIOR COURT JUDGE INMANCHESTERFLATTERY ALLEGEDLY SOLD SOMEFENTANYL BACK IN FEBRUARY OFLAST YEAR THAT RESULTED IN AFRIEND'S DEATH.AS PART OF THE PROOF THATFLATTERY WAS RESPONSIBLE, THEPROSECUTION CITED A TEXT MESSAGEFOR FLATTERY TO THE VICTIM.MR. HARPSTER: SO YOU WANT AGRAM, ONE GRAM.I'M GOING TO TEXT HIM NOW, SOYOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.OK, BUT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOUWANT BEFORE I TEXT HIM.RAY: THE PROSECUTION ASKED THATTHE BAIL BE SET AT $500,000CASH, CITING THE SERIOUSNESS OFTHE CHARGE AND THE FACT THATFLATTERY FLED THE STATE.FOR ITS PART, THE DEFENSE SAIDTHAT THERE'S NO PROOF THATFLATTERY KNEW SHE WAS CHARGEDWITH THE DEATH-RESULTING CRIMEBEFORE SHE FLED ACROSS THECOUNTRY, ADDING THAT FLATTERY ISA DRUG ADDICT WHO WAS SIMPLYDOING A FAVOR FOR ANOTHER ADDICTON THE DAY IN QUESTION, AFTERSHE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THEVICTIM.MR. RUSSELL: MS. FLATTERY THENCONTACTED A THIRD PERSON A, A SOURCE, MADE ARRANGEMENTS TOESSENTIALLY CARRY THE MONEY.RAY: BECAUSE THE STATE DIDN'THAVE A WITNESS READY TO TESTIFYTO THE UNDERLYING FACTS, THEJUDGE DEAD SET BAIL AT $500,000CASH OR SURETY.

Woman arraigned on charge of selling fatal dose of drugs

Defense says woman didn't know she was facing charge when she left state

A Manchester woman accused of selling a deadly dose of fetanyl and fleeing the state appeared in court Friday.

Heather Flattery, 30, was arrested last month in Las Vegas after months on the run. She faces a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted.

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Flattery is accused of selling a dose of fentanyl in February that resulted in a friend's death. Prosecutors in court cited a text message Flattery sent to the victim.

"'So you want a gram. One gram,'" Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Brett Harper said. "'I'm going to text him now so you don't have to wait.' 'Ok, but I need to know what you want before I text him.'"

Prosecutors asked that the bail be set at $500,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the charge and the fact that Flattery fled the state.

The defense said there's no proof that Flattery knew she was facing charges before she traveled across the country. Public defender Todd Russell said Flattery is a drug addict who was doing a favor for another addict after she received a request from the victim.

"Ms. Flattery then contacted a third person, a source, and made arrangements to essentially carry the money," Russell said.

The judge set bail at $500,000 cash or surety. Court officials said a trial date could be set in April.